Sermon preached by Rev. Emily Tanis-Likkel

June 12, 2011                

Acts 2:1-21

Pentecost 2011 “The Place Where Words Get Stuck”

Do you identify as a Christian?  If so, why? How can we testify to a God so amazing that words only lamely begin to describe? The Spirit of God on Pentecost day manifested as a feast for the eyes and the ears.  Are we this open to experiencing this kindling of passionate faith? When we experience the power of God in our lives, how do we testify to it? The Spirit at Pentecost shows us the sharing of faith transcends our human categories. Luke, the writer of the book of Acts, struggles to describe the scene, saying that there was a sound like a rushing wind, a sight like tongues of fire.  Our expressions of our faith can also reach beyond words, and be communicated through art, acts of compassion, song, dance, drum, acting on whatever gifts we have been given. May others then see something in us that is so authentic, so passionate that they want to experience God's love.

        When you meet a friend at Pegasus or Starbucks, you pay not only for a coffee but for an experience. Welcoming music, lighting, and a warm greeting go a long way when you are feeling down or lonely. Brett and I connected with a neighbor when we ran into each other at Roosters. Usually we only exchange a hello, but at the coffee shop, we took the time to really talk. We skipped over the small-talk and dove right into the real.  We talked about how God was showing up in our lives. and we drank coffee.

"Plant the Gospel and the church will grow out of it." (Alan Hirsch.) Live it. Pray with a friend, show compassion, offer hope, sing a song, share a hug, invite someone into your life, tell someone about the radical nature of Jesus. Jason Gray sings, “I need more than a truth to believe I need a truth that lives moves and breathes to sweep me off my feet, it’s gotta be more like falling in love than something to believe in--More like losing my heart than pledging my allegiance." The Holy Spirit has been poured into this world, into our lives. What language do you and will you use? How do you communicate the Gospel? Whether it take place in coffee shop conversation, twitter, or whether your prophesy transcends words, and sounds more like music, looks more like neighbor helping neighbor, smells like freshly baked bread.

Futurist Leonard Sweet wrote: "The problem is not that Christianity can't be believed, but that it can't be practiced because of its lack of lived experience. And it can't be observed by others because there are too few Christians who are radical enough to manifest what the gospel really looks like."

When we fall in love, passion is ignited, and that passion is experienced larger than life itself. Our love of God and enjoyment of God is lived through authentic engagement in the world, full participation in life, following Jesus in all aspects of our lives.  That love is contagious and wild and beautiful.

Coffee is a sensory drink. Bold taste. The feel of the warm cup in your hands, the hot liquid in your mouth, the steam on your face, smell, visual gives a feeling of welcome and comfort. Starbucks attracts thirty million customers a week. Unofficial mission statement is to help people "Live More Musically." Sound of the coffee brewing, espresso whistle, music in the shop, mmmm of the enjoyment. The Westminster Catechism asks “What is the chief and highest end of man?” The answer: to glorify God, and fully enjoy him forever.” At the end of the day we will not be asked how many books we’ve read, degrees obtained, pounds lost, toilets scrubbed, but have we caught fish? Have we opened the windows and doors of our souls and let the Spirit blow through? Have we walked with another and shared our enjoyment of God with that person?

Revelation 3, John shares his vision of God speaking to the church of Laodicea: “Would that you were hot or cold, but because you’re lukewarm, I’m going to spit you out of my mouth.” Sweet points out that translators have laundered the verse, making it more palatable for listeners, which is exactly what the verse is warning against. A proper translation sounds more like “Would that you were not or cold, but because you’re play-it-safe, middle of the road, mediocre, I’m going to vomit you out of my mouth. As Jesus followers, we are born of water and fire. Sweet says, “you can’t have a love affair with lukewarm.”

The Spirit of God being poured out, available to all to renew, strengthen and ignite with passion. The Spirit of God gives us the passion and the ability to testify to God's grace in our lives.  If we are to share the good news—evangelism, we must recognize the power of the Spirit within us. It is difficult to recognize this power and be lukewarm about it.

Through the sweep of Scripture we see that the Spirit chooses to work through those we don’t expect. When I tell people how severely shy I was as a child, they say, it is amazing that you entered the ministry. The success of a church I would start from scratch is being questioned by some denominational folks because I am, come to find out, an unknown. Thank God that within each of us unknowns, no names, passed-over people there is a Holy Spirit fire that is ready to move us beyond what anyone had planned in their human agendas. But that is not enough. Then we must open our mouths and speak in the language that will be understood by whatever context we find ourselves in. This language is not always in words. On that Pentecost day there were words, yes, but also the sound like a rushing wind and the sight like tongues of fire.

I have a small painting from a Kitsap artist with a girl with blue pigtails. The artist has a really funky style that I love. Next to the girl are the words, "In the place where words get stuck." Have you been in that place? This is the time of year to express appreciation to my kids' teachers, which means looking at a blank card thinking, there are no words to express how grateful I am. It would be so much easier if they could peek into my heart and know. Beth Mass, whose home daycare and preschool Day has attended for the past two years, is someone I feel for whom I have that rush of adrenaline, wanting to put my gratitude into beautiful words, but here I am at the place where words get stuck.

When we love God with passion and with our whole selves, we are at the place where words get stuck. Ordinary cliches don't cut it. But poetry helps. I especially love Haiku, because the limiting number of syllables give me the freedom to cut out the excess:

Here are a few ways I can say something about Pentecost:

All is made holy—Life held continually—send me out in love.

Drenched with such passion—the people let loose in speech—the Spirit blew through.

Fire, wind, taking hold--In the place where words get stuck—From here we will rise.

What was gibberish—is now in my native tongue—suddenly makes sense.

Come and walk with me—make your own discoveries—experience God.

What did I just see--I think I’m falling in love--the Spirit moves me.

The Spiritual Formation Task Force of the PNCUCC has a lot of passion around encouraging the integration of Christian practices in the daily lives of individuals as well as in the life of the church. We are compiling a set of resources such as guided meditations, discernment processes and "Inviting Spirit into a meeting." We aim to integrate our faith into our whole lives, and so our resources include connecting with God through art, movement, nature and more.

As convener of that task force, I was asked to give input on how to integrate Christian formation into the outdoor ministries. Consistent with our task force's emphasis on Christian practices, I proposed building more intentional opportunities for these kinds of practices at the camps. Pilgrim Firs already has countless places that evoke a "thin place" for spiritual practice, but not everyone knows what to do when they are there. The Labyrinth is a great example of a practice that is intentional, inviting, and instructive. The sign at the entrance to the Labyrinth is really helpful to those who have not walked one before, or need some help getting centered. Perhaps we could choose several more places to set up intentional spaces for Christian practice. Here are some of the possibilities I offered:

A station could focus on a particular sense, such as listening to the birds, smelling the dirt, looking at the trees, touching the water, tasting a beverage in the station and meditating on the nourishment that comes from God.

A "forgiveness garden" where a person could pick up a rock and bring it to a specified place, signifying giving up a burden and giving to Jesus.

Body prayer instructions on a plaque/sign/in a booklet could describe a prayer while moving toward the four directions, or other movement prayers.

Perhaps we could do this here at EHCC. We have the meditation garden created by Evan Beemer. Instructions for Labyrinth, booklet giving a walking tour of the church grounds, complete with meditations and Bible study. meditation using items in nature. Something to get us stirred up, out of our sometimes decaffeinated spirituality and into an life that is full-bodied, complex, rich, satisfying and passionate.

Raven's Brew coffee is a favorite at my house. The coffee is amazingly good, and the art and poetry on the bags is even better. This "Served in Bed Raises the Dead" coffee is roasted in a state of the art air convection roasters. Instead of the beans being tossed around for a few minutes in a roaster, the beans pass once through air that whisks away the smoke and chaff, which "produces superior flavor development . . . and fragrance and aroma which will astound."

I can imagine being part of that Pentecost moment, when the Spirit blew through, whisking away the smoke and chaff, blowing down the walls that people erect to protect themselves from what and who they don't yet know, breathing renewal and strength into those on the edge, inviting shared experience to those who had been disconnected, participation with, communion with what was like a mighty wind and vibrant fire that our human vocabularies do not even begin to describe. It is the place where words get stuck. And so close your eyes, and may the Spirit breathe and blow and burn. May you open the windows and doors of your heart. Let the smoke and chaff fall away. Let anything that separates you from God fall away. Breathe.

All is made holy—Life held continually—send us out in love.